Becoming an award-winning watercolor painter, like Stan Miller, takes years of training, practice, and most of all, a perception of what is important. For over 30 years, Miller has been capturing the hearts and souls of America, and more recently, members of the international community. His ability to transform nature, still life and portraits into moving beauty with watercolor and egg tempera makes him a sought after artist.
Artist Miller grew up in South Dakota and was intrigued as he watched his older brother draw. At 7 or 8 years old, Stan’s family went to Wisconsin to visit a friend of his Dad’s, professional watercolorist, Randy Penner. Stan was in awe of the framed watercolors that hung high on the walls of his home. Later, one of his elementary teachers taught Stan’s class the meaning of perception, showing how to make a road disappear into the mountains. Some, or all of these experiences, would have been boring to many young lads, but Miller was fascinated.
“September Shadows” which is done in Egg Tempera, is a good example of how the mind can follow a path to nowhere while taking in the beauty of a crisp fall day. Miller’s Internet Video Demonstrations, found at www.stanmiller.net , share some of the secrets of what viewers are looking for and how to achieve these results. Miller uses a matter-of-fact approach of how to begin a painting, what an audience perceives, and why composition and design are the most important part of any art project.
As a member of the American Watercolor Society, Miller has presented his work in various group exhibitions, in addition to one person shows in Washington, Kansas and Montana. The long list of awards include first place in the 2015 portrait/figure competition, hosted by the Artist’s Magazine International Competition, and 2006 Grand Prize in the Watercolor Magic Magazine National Competition.
One noted watercolor portrait, “Nick’s Gaze” reveals the character and spiritual quality that Miller prides himself in delivering to his audience. Although Stan has a lot of education, knowledge and talent behind his work, he says, “I’ve always painted subjects that touch my heart, subjects that mean something to me,” which was and is his secret road taken to his artistic successes.
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Secrets of a professional artist, Portrait of Stan Miller,
Art-to-Art Palette Journal, 01-2016